The motet was a choral composition based on Latin text. It had a polyphonic texture with interludes of monophony and was usually sung without accompaniment. During the Renaissance, the motet was sacred, but it was not part of the Mass or other sections of the liturgy, and therefore was suitable for use in any service. In contrast, the madrigal was essentially the secular version of the motet (or the motet was a sacred madrigal). The madrigal also had a polyphonic setting usually sung a cappella. However, the madrigal used a vernacular text and poetry. Since the madrigals were secular, their purpose was primarily for entertainment, performed in the home or at social gatherings. What made the madrigal stand out from the motet was the use of madrigalisms or “word painting” to emphasize specific words and feelings in the music.
“Ave Maria” by Josquin Desprez represents the great progression of polyphony in early Renaissance. Desprez wrote his secular work in the a......
Join Now or Login to view the rest of this paper.
Approximate Word Count: 270
Approximate Pages: 2 (260 words per double-spaced page) |